Cross-Cultural Links for ESL

 
 


Articles of Intercultural Interest

This page has links to articles about informality, time, culture in the workplace, and more. The articles compare U.S. attitudes with customs in other cultures. (The Society for International Training, Education, and Research, Houston)


CESL Customs and Culture in the U.S.
This page offers brief but accurate descriptions of U.S. customs in areas such as conversation, non-verbal communication, and relationships (Center for English as a Second Language, University of Arizona).

 

 

Expat Expert
This site highlights the work of author Robin Pascoe, who has written several books about living and working outside one’s home country. The Reading Room section of the site includes a variety of articles that address cultural adjustment, living abroad with spouses and children, and repatriation (the process of moving back to one’s home country).


Re-Adjusting

As you prepare to return to your home country, it's also wise to learn about the phenomenon of Reverse Culture Shock or Re-Entry Culture Shock; this site from Northwestern University is aimed at American students returning for study abroad, but it could also apply to international students who have studied in the U.S. and are returning to their home countries.

 

 

Weston Career Center Frequently Asked Questions
Here you can find answers to FAQs related to a career in business such as what to wear to information sessions, how to decline an offer, how to use e-mail effectively, and more.

 

 

The World at Your Fingertips: Cultural Adjustment
This site explains the causes, symptoms, and stages of culture shock, as well as ways to make the adjustment process a little easier (Center for International Education, University of California at Irvine).  

 

 

Yahoo! Directory: Etiquette
This page lists links to web sites with advice about manners in many contexts: business, dining, using cell phones, tipping, writing e-mail, writing thank-you notes, and more. Knowing that you're following local customs can help you feel more comfortable in academic, professional and social situations and, of course, will enable you to make a positive impression in those settings. Because of the various audiences/purposes of these web sites, be sure to compare at least a couple of them and ask some American friends/acquaintances to make sure you're getting consistent, generally accepted, up-to-date advice about manners in the U.S.

 


 

Karen Schwelle
Instructor, English Language Programs
Washington University
Campus Box 1083
One Brookings Drive
St. Louis, MO  63130
kschwell@artsci.wustl.edu